


A Royal Twist

by SandsnakeQueen



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Developing Friendships, Don't copy to another site, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Gaara (Naruto)-centric, Implied Relationships, Kazekage gaara eventually, King gaara eventually, Kings & Queens, Mentors, Ninja, Nobility, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Royalty, Sand Siblings-centric, Shinobi, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, gaara and shukaku are on decent terms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2019-11-24 04:11:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18161312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandsnakeQueen/pseuds/SandsnakeQueen
Summary: When Prince Gaara & his royal siblings are given a mission by their father, the Wind King, that takes them to the Fire Kingdom's doorstep, the three begin a journey that isn't for the fate of heart, and filled with unexpected surprises. Think of this tale as a 'royal' spin on the classic canon storyline, but with the Sand Siblings, mainly Gaara, as the main characters.This is being cross-posted from my account on Fanfiction





	1. The Mission

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Okay, this is a story based on another story that I did, but never finished. It is pretty much a 'royal' twist on the canon storyline, with some original characters mixed in here and there of course. The Fire Princess and her team are all my creations, and I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> P.S. Some characters that are usually dead in canon will be alive here in this story! Enjoy!
> 
> P.S.S. Boldface means that a bijuu/tailed beast is speaking. Italics means the jinchuriki is speaking. This line of conversation will usually happen in the jinchuriki’s head.

_Many years ago, during a time_ _simply known as the Warring States era, all that was to be seen across the various lands were strife, resentment, deceit, and worst of all, war. Various shinobi clans, most with abilities that mere mortals could only dream of, battled each other to the death over territory, money, and power, not caring about the damage they caused, only wanting the glory and satisfaction of beating their various enemies._

_However, in time, certain clans began to rise above the rest. They used their powers to end the wars and unite clans together to form_ _great nations and vast kingdoms. The clans that took such an initiative became the ruling families of their respective dominions, all of them overseeing their territory with keen eyes and an iron fist._

_Out of the many kingdoms that formed, there were five that grew to become major powers within the_ _Elemental Nations, becoming known as the Imperial Five._

_There was the Water Kingdom to the east, a land of_ _islands and mist, ominous in legend as well as in real life. It was one of the more isolated kingdoms in the region, and one of the most war-ravaged, with its capital, Kirigakure, being one of the more difficult to find in the entire landscape._

_There was the Lightning Kingdom to the northeast, mountainous in its terrain, and shameless in its thinking. This was a kingdom that went to great lengths to achieve its success. Only its fiery neighbors to the southwest beat them in terms of power and prestige, a stinging rebuke to some within its nobility._

_The Earth Kingdom was located in the northwest, and despite the desolation of the deserts and the mountains that lied within the Land of Lightning, it was considered the bleakest of the Imperial Five. Covered in rocky areas as far as the land could see, the terrain was as sturdy as its people, who would never hesitate when an order was relayed to them. These rock-hard attitudes were great for missions, but it didn’t make them the best of friends with the other nations._

_Lying within the center of the Elemental Kingdoms was the Fire Kingdom, the largest, eldest, and most powerful dominion in the land. Its capital, Konohagakure was the strongest of the lot, with the highest concentration of ninja clans around, including some of the most powerful families to ever walk the earth. This kind of power made them both feared and respected, something that they surprisingly didn’t flaunt as much as you’d expect them to._

_However,_ _our story begins in the final member of the Imperial Five, the Wind Kingdom. Located in the southwest, it’s mostly desert environment has led the kingdom to become one of the hardest to invade. In turn, it grew to have one of the largest populations, most of them spread out across the arid landscape either in merchant caravans or enclaves and towns built around various oasis._

_Its capitol, Sunagakure, was by far its largest village, and it is here where our story begins, with a certain redhead sitting on the roof of the largest building, his eyes staring up at the full moon overhead. . ._

* * *

 

**A - x - R - x - S**

Sunagakure, the capital of the Wind Kingdom, was quiet. Village guards silently moved along the streets and rooftops, the wind their only company as they remained vigilant. Stragglers that had enjoyed one too many drinks at the bar struggled and lumbered their way through alleys and avenues, trying to make their way back home in one piece to join the many others already in their beds and futons, sleeping the night away.

One certain person couldn’t enjoy such a luxury.

That person was silently sitting on the highest roof that the Wind Palace - a building made from the finest stones found throughout the kingdom - could provide. His gaze would occasionally scan the surrounding area to see if something was off, but he’d always find gaze back on the large beacon in the sky.

When it came to sleep, he didn’t think of it much.

Simply put, he couldn’t sleep. Ever.

He had lost the ability to do so before he was _even born_. His father had taken the choice away from him; a decision that had stark repercussions for all those involved. The dark rings that rimmed his jade green eyes were proof of the many years he spent living through sleepless night after sleepless night. If he ever tried to even take the _smallest_ of naps, it could lead to disaster, not just for him, but for the entire kingdom as he knew it . . .

. . . Or, that's what the legends supposedly say.

**“Oi! How long are you going to mope around like this?!”**

The silent green-eyed roof dweller let out a small breath as he listened to the voice that bellowed from somewhere in his mind, its agitation and restlessness hard not to mistake as he brushed a hand through his blood red hair.

**“You've been sitting in the exact same position for more than two hours now! What are you? A GARGOYLE?! How long are you going to keep this up?! Your inactivity is boring me to tears!”**

" _It's nice to know that you_ _are willing to show some concern for my well-being after all Shukaku,"_  said the redhead as he continued watching the moon.  _"Usually_ _, you just complain about being locked up in me, or rant about the pitiful humans worrying about trivial things like schedules and napkins . . ."_

**“Don't get all snippy with me, you redheaded brat! Besides, what I said is not what you think. You are my host. My vessel. My fucking human prison! If you die, I die, well, for a while. . . . You have no idea how much of a fucking hassle it is to regenerate back into my original form after I get wiped out Gaara, and I have no plans on having that happen to me again anytime soon!”**

" _Oh yes, I should have known that this would lead back to you Shukaku,"_  said Gaara as a small gust of wind brushed past him, ruffling his spiky hair.  _"Nothing can make a tailed beast focus more than its own self-preservation."_

**“Damn straight. Preserving our own asses is a highlight of being a tailed beast, unfortunately . . . And out of all the people I could have possibly been sealed away in this forsaken kingdom, I had to be sealed away in you, one of the prized princes . . .”**

" _Not like I had any choice in the matter. You were sealed in me before I was even born,”_ the prince reminded him as a dark cloud crossed over the moon, momentarily obscuring it from view.  _"Sealing you away is basically a family tradition at this po_ _int."_

**“Don't remind me . . . If it wasn't for your family's knack for the Magnet Release, I would be roaming the deserts right now, terrorizing anyone and everyone who dared crossed my path!”**

" _W_ _hen you put it that way, it’s good that you’re sealed away and not out there wrecking the place. . . On the other hand, it's bad for me because I'm basically stuck with you in my head for the rest of my life,"_ Gaara mumbled as the sounds of footsteps coming toward him reached his ears. " _You've already ruined 13 years' worth of nights for me with your_ _ranting and complaining. You can at least give me one night of peace and quiet, or is that too much to ask?"_

**“Well now, aren't you just being a sensitive little prick? If my ranting and complaining annoys you so much, then I'll take my words somewhere else dammit!”**

" _You can't take your words somewhere else. Where else can you go if you're sealed inside of me?"_ Gaara grumbled as he closed his eyes. When the tanuki never replied, he took that as a momentary reprieve from the inner spirit.

Noticing that the footsteps had stopped somewhere to his left, he turned his head to find a tall man in flowing robes standing a few feet away. A white turban covered his head, with a strap of the remaining cloth covering the left side of his face. Two reddish markings decorated the skin on the right. "What do you want Baki?"

"Your father requests your presence in his private office Prince Gaara. Your brother and sister are making their way there as I speak." he calmly replies, his voice clear and deep as his eyes looked toward the village around them.

"I see . . ." Gaara mumbled, slowly getting up from his seated position, his voice filling with disdain at the prospect of seeing his father again. "Well, I better not keep the king waiting then."

All of a sudden, wisps of sand swirled around the young redhead until he was completely encompassed by it. It moved as fast as it appeared, swirling right past Baki and through the lone doorway that led to that part of the roof. The sand traveled through the palace's dimly lit hallways, passing by startled maids and servants alike as it traversed the floors.

Eventually, it reached its destination, depositing Gaara right in front of a large set of bronze doors before dissipating from view, not even leaving a speck of sand on the boy as it went.

"Figures you would use your jutsu to get here before either of us!"

Gaara turned his head in the direction the voice was coming from, finding a boy a little older and taller than him walking up dressed in an old set of black pajamas. Following him was an older blonde girl dressed in a purple nightgown, scowling at nothing in particular as she looked around with tired eyes.

"It's convenient for me. What else can I say Kankuro?" Gaara replied as he turned his attention to the girl. "You look worse for wear Temari."

"I’m justified. Father and Baki put me through hell during training today, well, yesterday actually. I could barely stand because I was so drained of chakra afterward . . ." she grumbled, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Well, it’s pretty common for the ruling monarch’s heir to be trained more than his or her younger siblings. It’s the luck of the draw, and you ended up with the short end of the stick big sis.” Kankuro couldn't help but tease, smirking with tired glee.

"Oh, shut it Kankuro!" Temari grumbled as Gaara moved his attention to the door. "So, do either of you have any idea why Daddy Dearest decided to call us to his office this late in the night?"

"You would know that much sooner if you all just stepped into his office already," said Baki, suddenly appearing beside Kankuro. "Do you really think it is wise to keep your father waiting like this?"

"Hey! It’s late! Can you blame us for being a little crabby right now?" growled Temari, irritation the dominant emotion she was feeling as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Not everyone can go a full night without sleep like you and Gaara can Baki."

"That may be true, but still, you have been trained well enough to withstand long hours of sleep deprivation. Really, this should be a cakewalk for you," said the older man as he turned to the door, ignoring the scowl that was etched across the blonde's face. "Anyway, enough talk. Let’s go. We've kept your father waiting long enough."

He walked forward, pushing the doors open with both hands before stepping off to the side. Taking that as their cue to enter, the royal siblings walked in from eldest to youngest, with Baki bringing in the rear.

Their father’s office was a large room decorated with the best pieces of furniture that the kingdom could offer. The room was simple at best, save for a few portraits of desert landscapes that hung on three of the walls, and the large bookcase that covered the far wall. In the center of the room stood a large mahogany desk, the table's surface messily covered with important documents and books.

Sitting behind the desk was a middle-aged man with disheveled brown hair dressed in flowing white and green robes, a stern expression plastered on his face as he looked at the three children and grown man coming up to him.

"Someone doesn't look happy . . ." Kankuro mumbled as the four lined themselves up in a straight line a couple of feet before the desk.

"If you're wondering if it's because I think you four have come later than I expected, don't worry, it's not that," said their father as he weaved his fingers together. "A few hours ago, I had a meeting with some members of the Council. According to them, things are not looking too good for our kingdom right now."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Temari as concern spread across her face as Baki remained expressionless. Kankuro raised an eyebrow, while Gaara just looked disinterested, like always.

"The kingdom is losing valuable profit from the shinobi division due to clients looking to other kingdoms for better prices." said the king as he flipped through some of the documents on his desk. “Simply put, the lack of shinobi work is hurting our country’s bottom line.”

"Well that can't be helped," grumbled Kankuro. "Our homeland is at a natural disadvantage due to our location alone. We're basically on the outskirts of the lands compared to the other kingdoms. Plus, crossing the desert itself is never a walk in the park in the first place."

"All of what you said is true Kankuro. What you mentioned is indeed something that we can't help," said the King as he leaned back in his chair. "Due to our 'natural' circumstances, we can't afford to lower prices on the services our shinobi provide. The Council is getting worried that if this keeps happening, then the worth of our ninja will begin to diminish in the eyes of the other kingdoms."

"Our reputation would be diminished. We’ll be seen as weak,” Temari mumbled as she brought a finger to her chin. "And yet, I still don't see why you've called us in here exactly."

"Don't worry, I was just getting around to it . . . In two weeks' time, the biannual Shinobi Showcase will be taking place. The Fire Kingdom will be hosting it in its capital, Konohagakure, and I have decided to send you three as one of the teams representing the kingdom. Baki will be going along with you as your team's mentor."

"Wait? Us?" asked Kankuro, his eyes wide in shock. "Why? Because of our status as _your kids_ and how young we still are, you barely allow us to go out on missions of this magnitude, especially Gaara . . . What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"He believes if we have a good showing during the Showcase, then potential clients will become interested in Wind shinobi again, thus bringing back more revenue to the kingdom," Gaara answered, finally injecting his thoughts into the conversation as his gaze took aim straight at his father. "And who better to entrust this mission to than the three teenagers that went through the best training that the Wind Kingdom could provide. . ? Did I get all that right, or am I missing a detail or two?"

"What you said is correct Gaara," his father’s stern eyes never left his youngest son’s gaze as he addressed him. "The Council believes that if the country is going to have a good showing at the Showcase, we have to send our very best to represent us. Your tutors, mentors, and I have all agreed that all three of you have been excelled well enough to warrant making you prime candidates for this mission . . . You are some of the best that our kingdom can offer, and what’s a better way to attract clients than by showing off the very best?"

"I see, and since you're handing us this mission personally, it's definitely not a mission that we can take lightly," said Temari, shaking her head. "The Shinobi Showcase always attracts a multitude of teams from all across the Elemental Nations. Are there any that you know of that we should be particularly wary of?"

"The other members of the Imperial Five have always sent formidable teams to the Showcase, with most of these teams comprising of members from well-respected and powerful clans," said the King as he picked up a small stack of documents from off his table. He held them out to Baki, who took them from his hand. "One thing is certain: you will not be the only royals competing in this particular Showcase."

"The children of the Fire King and Queen are also competing," said Baki as he perused the papers. "They’re twins, a boy and a girl. However, they are not part of the same team."

"That is kind of expected . . . Most kingdoms usually don’t allow their royal heirs to be on the same team," Temari mumbled, her face looking slightly interested as Baki passed the documents to her. She quickly scanned through the sheets before handing them off to Kankuro, a small pout lining her face. "Hmm, should have figured there wasn't going to be much information on the royal twins. All that's written in there is their bio stats. Nothing else."

"Info on those two is surely lacking in the official files. The Fire King is known to have a protective nature, especially in regard to his own family," said the King as he slowly stood up. "At best, it is easy to assume that the Fire King and Queen have taught their children some of their own jutsu, but you shouldn't be assured by that fact alone."

"Of course not . . . The jutsus used by the Fire Monarchs aren't the most well-known, but everyone agrees that they’re still quite powerful. They don't usually go all out in battle, but when they do, their opponents don't really see the light of day long enough to blab about their experiences," Temari added, shaking her head. "At best, if any one of us goes against their kids, we would be going in blind."

"You’re not including Gaara in your assessment, are you Temari?" Kankuro asked, an eyebrow raised. "Gaara's sand is an ultimate offense and defense, all in one. In truth, he probably has the best chance against either of those two."

 **“Your brother sounds like he has so much faith in you.”** Shukaku couldn't help uttering, a small chuckle slipping by his teeth. **“Almost sickening, if you ask me. I bet he believes that if you handle the Fire King's brats, he won't have to.”**

" _Just shut up,"_  Gaara mumbled, refusing the urge to roll his eyes.  _"I don't need your damn commentary right now."_

**“Aw, your words wound me.”**

"You say that Gaara has the best chance out of the three of you against either of the Fire King's children Kankuro. It’s a fair assessment. However, even he may have a hard time if he had to battle one of them." said the King as he walked over to one of the windows.

"What do you mean by that my king?" Baki asked as Gaara shot his father a narrow-eyed glare, slightly irritated with the man’s sudden critique of him. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"You see, we all know that the royal families of the Imperial Five have had close ties to the tailed beasts for many years. The Fire royal family has been linked to the Nine Tails ever since its kingdom's founding," mused King Rasa as he looked out the window. "Hmm, it is possible that the Nine Tails’ chakra could come into play if one of the twins is pushed enough."

 **“The Nine Tails? Now things just got a little interesting,”** Shukaku mused, now sounding intrigued. **“I haven't seen my older brother in ages! It'll be nice to finally say hello to him after all this time apart!”**

" _Why do I have the sudden feeling you want to say more than just 'hello' to your sibling?"_ grumbled Gaara as his father walked away from the window.  _"What? Do you have some kind of vendetta against him?"_

**“You have no idea.”**

"Okay, so our goal is to either win or have a very good showing in the Shinobi Showcase, but we have to be wary of our competition, particularly our fellow royals," mumbled Kankuro as he thought it over in his head. "Is that it?"

"Hmm, there is one more thing that I should mention to you four," said Rasa as he brought a hand to his chin. "What I said about the Fire royal family and its connection to the Nine Tails has been true for the longest time. However, times change, and the Nine Tails is no longer the only tailed beast they’re linked to.”

"My king, are you saying that the Fire Kingdom has somehow managed to gain a  _second_  tailed beast?" Baki asked in surprise, his voice practically an octave higher.

"According to my sources, the royal family came into possession of a second tailed beast around the time of the twins' birth . . . There are ten beasts in total. We hold the One Tails. Lightning holds the Two and Eight Tails, while Water holds the Three and Six Tails. The Four and Five Tails are in the Earth Kingdom’s possession, and the smaller Waterfall Kingdom holds the Seven Tails . . . How the last one managed that feat, your guess is as good as mine" said Rasa as he listed them down with his fingers. "I have failed to mention the last one, but I think you all can figure it out if you really think about it."

"No way . . . When you think about it, then that means Fire now holds the Ten Tails! They have the two most powerful beasts in their possession! You gotta be freaking kidding me," grumbled Kankuro, bringing a hand to his forehead. "You know what that means?”

“No Kankuro, I don’t,” said Temari, sarcasm lacing her tone. “Enlighten us will ya?”

“It’s pretty obvious. It means that Wind is the only one of the Five Great Kingdoms that has one beast!" Kankuro, absolutely serious and not showing a hint that he knew that Temari was simply pulling his leg. “That puts us at a disadvantage compared to the other kingdoms sis.”

 **“Ten Tails he says? So, that's where Ryuna has been these past few years.”**  Shukaku grumbled, his voice sounding slightly contemplative. “ **She was always the best at avoiding capture. She’s rarely been caught since we were originally formed, and if she was caught, it wouldn’t be for long. Many have tried their hand at catching her, but they’ve all failed one way or another, going to the wrong location, running into her and dying as a result . . . I wonder how those Fire shinobi finally managed to do what no one else has done.”**

"Father, you mentioned that the Ten Tails was captured around the time the twins were born. Is it possible that one of them were used as its vessel?" asked Temari, already thinking about the possibilities.

"That may very well be the case," said Rasa as he sat back in his chair. "For now, you need to prepare for your journey, because you will be leaving as soon as the sun rises. The quicker you move, the sooner you can reach Konoha to assess your competition . . . I don't need to stress how important this mission is for the sake of our kingdom's economy. Failure is not an option."

"Of course, milord," said Baki, his head bowed. "We will see to it that this mission is a rousing success."

"See that you do. You are dismissed."

Baki bowed once more before turning to leave, followed by Temari and Kankuro, with Gaara bringing up the rear; however, he didn't get far. "Gaara, stay for one second."

 **“Now what does the bastard want now?”** Shukaku grumbled as Gaara stopped walking. The redhead's siblings shot him curious glances before leaving for their respective rooms, leaving Gaara to deal with their father alone.

"If you have asked me to stay behind just because you want to remind me that it’s best if I don’t lose control over Shukaku, then stop. You would only be wasting your breath," Gaara quickly said as he turned around. "Besides, I've heard the speech before."

"Must you speak to your own father like this?" Rasa asked, an eyebrow raised as his youngest child’s indignation.

"Hmm, that depends. Did you have to seal a demon inside me? Before I was even born no less?" Gaara asked in return as he took a step forward. "What you did to me was a great way to start off my life Father, real nice."

"Sealing a tailed beast within a member of the royal family is how we maintain our power," his father reminded him, his tone serious as he addressed the boy. "You were the one deemed the most compatible with Shukaku's chakra. That compatibility made you the prime candidate for the sealing."

"Yeah, but at the cost of my ability to sleep," Gaara mumbled. ". . . And somebody's life."

Rasa visibly flinched when Gaara said those words, his face somber as he leaned back in his seat. His eyes went to one of the two picture frames that stood on his desk, his gaze momentarily taking in the picture of himself holding a smiling blonde woman in his arms. His late wife, his queen . . .

. . . Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro's deceased mother . . .

"It's no secret that your mother's death has affected this family. However, we cannot let past events affect our actions now, especially when you have such a big mission ahead of you Gaara," said Rasa, addressing his son more like a king and less like a father. "Go and get ready. Remember, you leave in the morning."

Gaara stared coldly at his father before summoning his sand. The beige, multi-grained cloud swirled around the young redhead before flying out the room, swiftly taking the prince away through the open doors, and leaving the King of the Wind Kingdom alone to his weary thoughts.


	2. On The Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara and Shukaku get into one of their conversations as the time to leave for Konoha nears.

**“Hmm, that was quite an interesting little talk,”** Shukaku mumbled, his voice sounding vaguely interested as Gaara continued to travel through the palace hallways within his cloud of sand. **“It seems things got a little testy between you two at the end of that conversation.”**

" _Say what you want Shukaku. I_ _’m too irritated to give a fuck at the moment,"_ the young prince grumbled as they came to a stop in front of a large set of ornate bronze doors. _"Right n_ _ow, I just need to focus on preparing for my mission, just like the damn king ordered."_

**“Oh, you and your daddy issues. Sometimes it's just plain sad. Other times, it's quite entertaining to watch.”**

Gaara ignored the remark as he opened the door and stepped into the quiet refuge that was his bedroom. It was fit for a prince, large in size and furnished with the best furniture available. The two floor-to-ceiling windows on the room's far wall gave the redhead an amazing view of the village. However, he preferred the view he would get from the palace's roof; the roof just gave the encompassing view he liked that the windows just didn’t. Bypassing the king-sized bed he never used - for obvious reasons - Gaara sat down in his lounge chair, his arms crossed over his chest as his thoughts slowly went back to the discussion he had with his father earlier.

" _Sealing a tailed beast within a member of the royal family is how we maintain our power . . . You were the one deemed the most compatible with Shukaku's chakra_ _. That compatibility made you the prime candidate for the sealing."_

"Father has three children, and yet I was the one lucky enough to be born with chakra that was compatible to Shukaku's own," the redhead grumbled to himself. "I had to be born with the short end of the stick . . ."

**“Don't blame me for that one! Your father could have easily sealed me away in someone else that was compatible with my chakra, maybe into the child of a trusted advisor or general but no, he didn't. He didn’t want to risk that power going to someone else, someone who would betray him in the long run. Your father decided to adhere to tradition and chose to consolidate the family's power after all, and he did it with you, ensuring that you had a fate that only a rare few are privy to . . . The love is strong in your family, don’t you think?”**

" _Only with my siblings, I guess._ _Love is too strong a word to describe the relationship I have with my father,"_ Gaara slowly stated, looking at nothing in particular. _"Our relationship is tolerable at best."_

**“Oh, trust me, I’ve witnessed quite a lot between you two. You don’t have to tell me twice _,”_** Shukaku cackled as the redhead leaned back into his seat. **“You can cut the tension in the air with a kunai whenever you two are in the same room together. It’s so obvious that I wouldn’t be surprised that your relationship with him is a favored topic in the gossip circles.”**

" _With what he's done to this family already, especially to me, I guess you can say that my feelings toward him can't be helped,"_  he grumbled as a knocking sound erupted from the door. "Who is it?"

"It's only me!" came his sister’s reply. "Just wanted to let you know that we're gathering in the main foyer at dawn, so don't be late!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Gaara quietly murmured as he listened to his sister's footsteps grow quieter as she walked away. "Well, at least there will be something good that comes out of this mission."

**“And what would that be hmm? That you'll get to beat the frustration you have toward your father out on your unsuspecting competition?”**

" _I_ _meant that I won't have to see my father's face for a while,_ _but in a way, what you said isn't untrue either."_

**“Of course it's fucking not! I have been watching you fight ever since you were a little tyke with a teddy bear. You may not want to admit it to yourself, but you can't hide it from me,”** Shukaku said, his drunkenly teasing voice starting to border on grating. “ **I know how you think in a fight Gaara. I've seen how your mind works in the midst of battle.”**

" _And how exactly does my mind work from your perspective Shukaku?"_

**“You try to hide it, but it’s obvious once you look between the lines. You enjoy venting out your anger on others sometimes, as if they're convenient little punching bags ready to use at your disposal. Even with your 'stationary' style of fighting, the way you fling around your opponents with your sand is quite fun to watch.”**

" _You make it sound like I'm actually proud of inflicting pain on others_ _.”_

**“You should be! Personally, I’d be annoyed if you didn't. I tend to take pride in my kills. I expect my jinchuriki to do the same!”**

" _That is so enlightening_ _. It really is, but sorry, I do not take pride in my kills like you do with yours. When I fight, it’s mainly out of self-preservation, not because I want to feel superior.”_

**“You disappoint me.”**

_“This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard that line said to me,”_ said the redhead as he walked over to one of the windows. Shukaku indeed wasn’t the first person to say those three words to him before. His father was quite a repeat offender in that regard, though it had lessened in recent years. _“The Shinobi Showcase . . . What do you make of it?"_

**“I see it as a prime opportunity for you to crush your opponents underneath your sandals. The wimps you’ll face will witness the power of our sand, and their blood will spill at our feet.”** Shukaku growled in excitement as the redhead sat down on the windowsill.

" _Does that include the ones that hold your siblings? The Fire Prince and his sister could be jinchuriki, but then again, they could not. It's not a certainty Shukaku."_

**“I'll know for certain once we reach the Fire Kingdom's main village. Trust me, just get me within the vicinity of the royal family, and once we’re close, I’ll know who the jinchurikis are.”**

"You sound very confident on this Shukaku," said Gaara, speaking out loud instead of in his head for once. "Huh, I never thought you were one for family reunions."

**“My feelings are mixed when it comes to my family. On one hand, I hate Kurama with an absolute passion, but on the other hand, Ryuna happens to be the most tolerable of my siblings.”**

"Why exactly do you hate Kurama?"

**“He holds on to this stupid belief that the more tails a tailed beast has, the more power he or she possesses. Which means to him, I'm the weakest in the family! He can't help but remind me of this "fact" whenever we see each other, even though he isn’t the strongest one himself! Fucking piece of shit . . .”**

"I’m not intending to be a devil’s advocate here, but honestly, is he wrong to believe in such a thing?"

**“The only one that believes in that stupid idea of his is Kurama himself! No other beast believes that fallacy. I just happen to be the only one that voices it! However, with the kind of power he possesses, it's hard to refute his claim if you do try to challenge him . . . Being the beast with the second most tails has really done a number on his ego over the years. It’s quite sickening if you ask me.”**

"And what about Ryuna?"

**“Ryuna is no Kurama, thank the heavens for that . . ! While Kurama acts like the boastful prick that he is, my eldest sister is more of the ‘silent observer’ type. She doesn't speak much, preferring to watch the action unfold before speaking her piece, and yes, when she speaks, the rest of us listen. It’s kind of the rule in the family since she’s the eldest and commands the most respect after all . . .”**

“I can understand that . . . Continue.”

**“Yeah, I was going to flesh bag, so don’t interrupt!”** the tanuki grumbled, a little annoyed at the interference. **“Anyway, she usually minds her own business and willingly isolates herself most of the time. . . Now that I think about it, it would explain why she has always managed to be better at hiding from you shinobi than the rest of us put together. She avoids your villages like they’re the plague.”**

"Well, she may have been the best at hiding, but her hiding streak didn't last forever, or else she would still be hiding instead of being in the Fire Kingdom's possession." said Gaara as he shook his head. Shukaku simply growled at him for his statement, but the redhead ignored him in favor of looking out his window.

He remained there till dawn was near. Gaara quickly gathered what he needed, which was minimal at best, and sealed them away in a few scrolls before putting them away in his ninja pack. After quickly changing into a new set of clothes, he walked over to one of his bedside dressers to retrieve the lone item inside: a single beige and gray scroll. He opened it and unlocked the seal inside, unleashing a large plume of smoke that dissipated to reveal a large gourd of sand now standing in front of him.

Gaara quickly grabbed it by the strap and hiked it over his shoulder before disappearing in a cloud of sand. The sand traveled through the palace, weaving itself through the hallways until it stopped in the large foyer where he was supposed to meet the rest of his team.

"Alright, I'm here," said the redhead as he emerged from his sand cloud. "Now I just have to wait for the others. They better not take too long."

"You don't have to worry about me, but Kankuro and Baki may be a different story." said Temari as she emerged from behind a nearby pillar.

"What do you mean by that?" said Gaara as his cloud of sand disappeared into his gourd. “And how long have you been there?”

"Only a few minutes . . . And as for Kankuro, he’s still trying to figure out which puppet to bring with him," Temari grumbled as she adjusted the position of the iron fan strapped to her back. "He does this practically every time he's sent on a mission, but he always ends up picking the same two puppets every time. . . Every fucking damn time!"

"Can't a guy be picky with his puppets and not be criticized for it!?" exclaimed Kankuro as he walked up from down the hallway. "Also, watch the language sis! You're the heir, the Crown Princess. You're not supposed to be using that kind of language missy!"

"Don't try to reprimand me little brother!" Temari replied back as she shot him an agitated look. "I don't need you to nitpick what I say. The elders and court ladies do that enough already. . . Besides, I rarely curse, and when I do, I do it with good reason."

"Me having a tendency to take the time to pick out my puppets before a mission is not a good reason for you to curse me out." Kankuro flatly stated, his face a full on deadpan as he glared at his sister.

"But like Temari said, you do tend to pick the same two puppets every time," said Gaara, entering the conversation. "So what's the damn point in your whole puppet picking process anyway? It’s a waste of time that could be better spent on other stuff."

"Gaara, you are so not helping here," grumbled the puppeteer prince as Temari shot him a superior grin. "Why couldn't you have just stayed silent and kept yourself out of the conversation like you usually do?"

Gaara refrained from answering his brother's question, his eyes paying more attention to what was coming down the main hallway than his sibling. Noticing how the redhead was looking past him instead of at him, Kankuro followed his gaze to see Baki and their father walking toward them, the latter still in the clothes he wore when they saw him in his office earlier in the night.

"Huh, looks like Dad's has decided to send us off in person after all," Temari mumbled, not looking very impressed at the moment. "That's something I haven't seen in a long while."

"He must have slept in those clothes, or didn't sleep at all. He looks tired as hell." Kankuro muttered as he shook his head. Unlike his two siblings, Gaara remained silent, his eyes conveying how annoyed he was as his father and their mentor finally reached the three.

"Good, you all appear ready to go," said the king as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you all certain that you have gathered what you need for this mission to be successful?"

"I believe we have everything covered," said Temari, sharing a look with her brothers before turning to her father. "So, any other parting words you'd like to share before we go _Dad_?"

"C'mon sis, don't be too hard on the old man," Kankuro admonished as he shot his older sibling a quick smirk. "Let him have his moment to try to act like a father instead of acting like a king for once. We can at least give him that much."

"Can you two stop with the foolish antagonizing for just one minute?" asked Baki as a stoic look remained on the king's face. He was showing no emotion, but the siblings had a feeling their words were leaving their mark. "Your father came down here to give some last minute remarks to you three before we head off. You can remain quiet for just a little longer can you?"

"That depends . . . You're going to give us the usual spiel of how despite being on a mission, we still need to act in accordance of our station in this family aren’t you?" Temari mumbled, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Why would I tell you something that has been ingrained into your heads since you learned how to talk?" their father bluntly replied back as he looked at his only daughter, answering her challenge with ease. Temari resisted the urge to scowl even more, choosing to look at some of the tapestry on the walls instead of her father's face. "Anyway, I came down here to say one last thing to you before you leave: Watch out for the teams from the Sound Kingdom."

"The teams from Otogakure?" Kankuro asked, curiosity lining his face. "What trouble have they been causing?"

"They haven’t done anything notable yet. However, there have been rumors swirling around that the Sound Kingdom may try something during the Showcase. We've been trying to validate these claims, but all the leads have been coming up empty so far," explained Baki as he slightly shook his head. "The Sound has always been one of the best when it comes to keeping their secrets, well, _secret_ , and when one of their secrets do come out, it's very hard to determine if there's any truth behind it."

"Great, as if we have enough things to worry about," grumbled Kankuro as he placed a hand on his hip. "So what? Should we avoid any teams from the Sound unless we can't help it?"

"That will be the way to go during your time in Konoha. You will avoid any contact with Oto shinobi unless it's absolutely necessary." the King simply stated as sunlight began to pour in through the windows.

"And if the Oto shinobi do decide to make contact?" Temari asked as the guards manning the entrance started to pull the doors open.

"Don't respond to them, and if they don't get the message, deal with them as best as you know how," came the king’s response as the early morning breeze traveled into the room. Temari simply nodded before running out the palace, Kankuro following close behind her. The king turned his head just in time to see his youngest child turning away from him before running after siblings, and he couldn't help but notice the hint of disdain in the redhead's eyes just before he left. "Dammit . . ."

"You would think that those three could have at least waited till you had dismissed them before leaving." Baki grumbled as he took a step forward, his eyes watching the three receding forms in the distance.

"It can't be helped," said the king as he started the long walk back to his office. "Besides, what child actually listens to their parents at their age anyway? You're dismissed, Baki. I expect good results. Don’t fail this kingdom."

“Yes sir . . .” Baki replied before following after his subordinates, running past the open palace doors, down the long clay staircase, and down the main road that led to the palace gates before. He managed to overpass the siblings just as they set foot into the village's downtown area.

"Oi Baki! Glad you could finally join us!" Kankuro practically cackled as the four made their way down the village's main avenue, bypassing still-closed and just-opening shops as they went. "I was starting to get worried that you would never catch up, old man."

"Oh be quiet you," the turban wearing shinobi ordered, not wanting to hear the mockery. "I don't need your sarcasm right now Kankuro."

"You're only acting like this because we didn't wait for father to dismiss us before leaving the palace. . . You're not going to say it for yourself, but we all know that what I just said was true." said Temari, her face smug as she pointed out the obvious.

"It really is that obvious," Kankuro added, letting out a small chuckle. Baki remained silent as the two elder siblings continued to share jabs with each other. As for Gaara, who was bringing up the rear, he remained silent as he looked around at the surroundings that they would soon be leaving.

He observed how still the village was, and how it was only now coming alive for the day. Shopkeepers along the row were busy setting up their businesses for the day ahead, their faces looking eager to make their daily profits. Village police continued to go along their patrols and normal citizens went along on their walks to who knows where. When the people noticed the royal team running by, they stopped and stared at the group, many bowing their head slightly in respect. However, the peoples' eyes quickly went the other way as soon as they looked at the redhead, and Gaara knew their reason why.

They looked away because they knew what was inside him. They knew that he was the jinchuriki for the One Tails. They knew he was cursed since birth, forced to live with the demonic entity for the rest of his life for the sake of maintaining the current political structure.

The people were either too scared or too simple-minded to separate him from the tanuki, the boy from the monster. Some people even believed that he was Shukaku in human form, rather than just his vessel. Regardless of their reasoning, people were simply scared of him, terrified even, enough to not make contact with the young boy unless absolutely necessary, which was minimal. . .

**“Hmm, I just love it when people look away from us all scared and shit. I don't even need to lift a finger to make them terrified. They just look and turn their heads once they see you incoming Gaara.”**

" _You may love it, but I don't. . ."_ the young redhead grumbled as the group reached the Suna Wall, a towering structure that was part of the natural barrier that wrapped around the village like a protective fence. The four ran through the main opening, which was a large, yet slim, crevice within the wall, emerging into miles and miles of desert as far as the eye could see.

"It takes about three days to get to Konoha from Suna. Let’s go! This isn’t a leisure trip so be on your toes!" Baki called over his shoulder. Temari and Kankuro both nodded in agreement while Gaara offered no response, the latter still thinking over the reactions he got from the people they just passed by. Baki ignored the lack of reaction from the redhead, choosing to look ahead at the mission before them.

Things would not get easier from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so as you can probably guess from reading above, the dynamic between Suna and Oto will be a little different in this story compared to what it was in the canon storyline. To find out more, well, you'll just have to read to find out.


	3. Meeting Fellow Royalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sand Siblings reach Konoha, settle in, and soon enough run into the royal twins and their respective teams.

**_Three days later . . ._ **

"Huh, Konoha's climate is definitely a lot more comfortable than Suna’s," Kankuro mumbled as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, relieved that he didn’t smudge his face paint. "It’s hot, but not terribly so. Plus, the plant life around here is unbelievable. All you see are trees in every direction you look at, as far as the eye could see."

"Well, they don't call Konohagakure the village hidden in the **_leaves_** for nothing," said Temari as the group continued moving from tree to tree. "The name wouldn’t hold up if there were no leafy trees around to give it cover now would it...? Anyway, how much longer till we reach the village Baki?"

"I’m certain that we're near the Hokage Rock by now. The village will be located right at the base of it," came their mentor’s quick response as he continued looking forward. "I don’t have to explain to you three what the Hokage Rock is do I?"

"Don't worry about us Baki! We all know the history thanks to the tutors our dad assigned to us, so it’s okay. We’re covered," Kankuro assured. "I know you're supposed to be our mentor, but I don’t think you need to worry about our academic standing, especially not for a mission like this."

"Sometimes I wonder why I even bother . . ." Baki mumbled under his breath. When he saw that the road below had shifted from dirt to pavement, he jumped down to the ground, the royal siblings following right behind him.

"Now that we’ve crossed onto paved road, it won’t be long before we reach our destination. Another hour of running, give or take.”

“Good! It won’t be long now before we can sit down and rest in a bed for the first time in a few days.” Temari mumbled as she looked up at their sensei. “But I feel that there’s a bit of a ‘but’ coming along. The rest of this run isn’t going to be entirely smooth sailing now will it?”

“It’s 50-50 at best Temari,” Baki mumbled, not bothering to use her proper title. The use of such distinctions was restricted to certain instances. Traveling between kingdoms while out on an official mission was one of those instances. “Make sure you stay on guard. In the past, some teams have tended to ambush their fellow competition as they were traveling to the village hosting Showcase proceedings. There’s also the usual issue of bandits trying to make a mess of things, but that shouldn’t be an issue since Konoha always has its ninjas patrolling the surrounding area on a daily basis."

**“Pfft, as if we could ever allow ourselves to get caught in an ambush,”** Shukaku mumbled with a snort, his overconfidence shining through. **“Our sand would kill anyone planning such a thing before they even set foot into our field of vision.”**

" _Unless the people planning the ambush are capable of powerful water-based ninjutsu that is . . . Then again, it's nice to know that you're very confident in our abilities Shukaku,"_ Gaara stated as the group continued on their run. _"Now that I think about it, this is the first time you've spoken in a_ _few days. Something must be on your mind for you to hold your tongue for that long?"_

**“It’s nothing you have to worry your little sleep-deprived head about, flesh bag.”**

Gaara would have raised an eyebrow at that, well, if he had any eyebrows to raise.

Instead, he kept his eyes on the road ahead, following the path as it widened the further they went, reaching to the point that it could fit a line of ten people standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Forty-five minutes passed before the group finally reached Konoha’s gates, stopping when they reached the checkpoint area that stood mere feet from the main entrance

"Huh, didn’t expect this many people to be coming in at one time . . ." Kankuro grumbled as he looked around the long lines that were stretching away from the check in booths.

“The Shinobi Showcase tends to bring in large crowds from far and wide, even for the preliminary rounds, and those are not usually viewed by the people at large,” Baki explained as he took in their surroundings. “People come to stake their claims and set up shop before the festivities even begin, which means it tends to take a while to get through check in.”

"Good thing we're royalty then," said Temari as Baki and Gaara started walking ahead. "Long lines are foreign to people like us. We'll just use our royal status to skip ahead of everyone else."

“We could do that, or we can use the express line reserved for royalty, nobility, high officials, and special guests at the far end," said Kankuro as he pointed to the noticeably short line in front of the booth closest to the main gate. It was the same booth that Baki and Gaara were heading for.

"Huh, the people of Konoha really are a convenient bunch," was all Temari could say as she and Kankuro quickly ran to catch up to the other two. Once they had all their papers approved by the shinobi at the desk, the four walked through the open reddish-brown gates and into a village that was so unlike their own.

While beige clay and stone were the norm for the buildings in Suna, their counterparts in Konoha were made with materials such as wood, brick, and cement. The buildings were also more multi-colored than the sandy hues that their homeland had to offer, but none of the buildings stood out more than the large, intricate, reddish-brown building that stood in Konoha's center.

**“Hmm, that must be the Fire Palace,”** Shukaku mused as Gaara followed his team down the busy street. **“So that's where Kurama and Ryuna have been living it up these past few years. . . I got to admit. The place doesn't look half bad. I thought they would have done something stupid to the palace’s design, like add a flame-shaped roof or something, but I digress . . . This whole village looks a little livelier than Suna don’t you think?”**

" _It is_ _? I never noticed before."_

Despite no longer being in their home kingdom, the siblings were recognized well enough by Konoha's citizens. People whispered among themselves as they caught sight of the three royals passing them by. Gaara’s name was mentioned the most, but it was more so out of curiosity and awe than outright fear, terror, or indifference. It was something he didn’t expect, but it was a nice change.

**“Huh, the people here seem much more receptive to your presence than your own subjects do . . . I guess your full reputation hasn't reached their ears yet.”** Shukaku said with a snort as Baki led the three onto one of Konoha’s busiest thoroughfares, a wide boulevard lined with various shops, inns, and hotels. **“I’m sure that will all change soon enough.”**

" _Don't get your hopes up Shukaku. . . I'm not going on an all_ _-out rampage just because you feel like it."_ said the young redhead as they soon reached a large seven-story hotel that took up one side of an entire block. "So, this is where we will be staying during our time here Baki?"

"That’s what the official documents say, so say hello to your home for the next few weeks everyone," Baki calmly answered as he looked around at their surroundings. "Teams that come from the same kingdom are assigned the same hotel to stay in, so expect to see other teams from our homeland make their way here soon."

"I hope the rooms here are good . . ."

"This is supposed to be one of the best hotels the village can offer Kankuro, and with your royal pedigree, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave us the penthouse suite." said Baki as they walked into the sprawling, luxurious structure. They quickly handled their business at the check-in desk, taking their room key to the penthouse suite on the top floor.

"Hmm, not too shabby," said Temari as she looked around at their opulent surroundings. The suite was large enough to contain four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. Their suite also included a living space, an elegant dining area, and an outdoor porch that gave the four an amazing view of the surrounding Konoha skyline. "This should do us just fine."

"Good to know," said Baki as he set his things down in the bedroom closest to the exit. "Now then, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to have to leave you three to yourselves for the next few hours."

"You're leaving already?" asked Kankuro as he took off his puppet. "Where are you going?"

"All team mentors have to meet with the Showcase organizers at the village's Academy as soon as they arrive. Mainly to get more info on the event's activities, the overview, that sort of thing," Baki calmly explained as he reopened the door. "Konoha keeps its training areas in the eastern part of the village. Teams may already be there honing their skills for the upcoming challenges. . . I suggest you three do the same."

"C’mon man! We just reached the village and you already want us to start tra-" Kankuro cried out before Temari abruptly cut him off with a slap of her hand over his mouth.

"We'll leave within the hour," the blonde answered as she faced Baki with a serious gaze. Baki simply nodded before leaving and when he was finally out the door, Temari released her hold on her brother’s mouth, but not before she shot him a nasty look. ". . . Seriously Kankuro, you can be really dense sometimes."

"What did I say?" the puppeteer asked, agitation marring his face. "Like I said before, we just got here! We haven’t settled in yet! Is it too much to ask to have at least a few good hours of rest first before we start training again?"

"Just follow me you two. I think you'll figure it out once we get to the training grounds." The brothers shared a long look with each other before Gaara started following after their sister, leaving Kankuro to bring up the rear.

"But seriously, is it really that bad to ask for a quick rest around here?!" the puppeteer grumbled, hoisting his puppet onto his back before following his siblings out the room.

Neither bothered to give him an answer.

* * *

 

**A - x - R - x - T**

The siblings left their hotel and traveled along the rooftops, mainly to avoid anyone that may give them some kind of hassle due to their royal status. As they jumped from building to building, Temari and Kankuro looked around at their surroundings, taking note of anything they thought was memorable enough to remember for later. Gaara, on the other hand, kept his eyes straight ahead. The only time he moved his gaze was for the brief moment he glanced at the Fire Palace.

**“Hmm, I can feel them,”** Shukaku stated, his voice cutting into Gaara's train of thought like a sharp blade. **“.  . . I can feel them both.”**

" _You can feel both the Nine and Ten Tails within the vicinity?"_ he asked as he and his siblings came to a stop in the middle of an empty road. Behind them was a row of buildings of various sizes, but in front of them was one of the supposed training fields, with oak trees as far as the eye could see, a chain link fence standing tall a few feet in front of it.

**“That's right,”** said Shukaku, a small growl passing by his jagged lips. **“For us tailed beasts, it’s pretty much impossible to hide our chakra signatures from each other when we’re in the same general area, even when we’re sealed away. . . Trust me, you’ll find them in there, which means . . .”**

" _Their jinchuuriki are in there, already training,"_ Gaara mumbled as he followed his siblings toward the entrance. _“If you can feel your siblings’ chakra, can you feel their jinchuuriki’s chakra as well?”_

**“Somewhat. There are some similarities, but not much . . . I can feel a lot of untapped potential in there. It almost makes me excited to see what they can do with it once they're older.”**

" _A lot of untapped potential huh? Well, considering the usual rules when it comes to the tailed beasts and their jinchuuriki, the royal twins are just like me. They’re either training with each other or with whoever got assigned to their teams,"_ Gaara mused as the he and his siblings entered the field. _"The question now is_ _who holds which beast?"_

**“Well, we’re about to find out. If you and your siblings head a little west of here, you'll certainly run into them.”**

" _Thanks for the heads up_ _,"_ said Gaara, turning his head west. "Kankuro, Temari, let’s head west."

"Why west?"

"Just a hunch Kankuro. . ." was all the redhead would say before he disappeared into the trees. His older siblings shared a glance before following him, stopping at the edge of a large grassy field. Realizing that they were not alone, Gaara was quick to spot a group of six standing in the field’s center, all with varying hair colors that ranged from the normal to the unique.

"Hmm, it seems your 'hunch' has pointed us in the right direction," mumbled Temari as she came up beside him. "The two blondes . . . They're definitely the Fire Prince and Princess.”

“How are you so sure?” Gaara challenged.

“I read their bio info of course! It may have been sparse, but it did have useful details to help us figure out their identities,” Temari admitted, a small smirk growing along her face. “For starters, the info mentioned that they were both blondes, a trait they inherited from their father, which is impressive considering that anyone who ends up marrying an Uzumaki always ends up with redheaded children in the end. Conveniently enough, there's only two blondes in that group."

"That may be true, but did that intel also mention that the prince had whisker marks on his face?" Kankuro asked as he stared at the supposed prince in particular. "Like seriously, how are _whisker marks_ natural?"

**“Oh, they're natural alright, especially if the jinchuuriki has been one since his or her birth. . .”** Shukaku mused with a throaty chuckle. “ **We tailed beasts have a tendency of 'marking' our jinchuuriki if he or she becomes our host as soon as they're born, or, in your case, _before_ they are born. Anyway, Kurama marks his hosts with lines across his or her face that resemble whiskers, three on each cheek.”**

" _You tailed beasts may not like being sealed away, but you_ _certainly don't mind marking your territory,"_ Gaara mused as the Fire Prince began dueling the raven-haired boy. _"So, what does the Ten Tails usually mark her jinchuuriki with?"_

**“Ryuna’s mark is a lot more subtle, not as present as the rest of ours. You won’t know until you face the girl in a fight.”**

" _Great . . ."_ Gaara turned his attention away from the duel to look at the Fire Princess herself. The girl stood between the brunette and the lavender haired girl, watching the fight unfold. Judging from how the brunette and lavender haired girls were speaking to her in whispers like they were adhering to her direction, Gaara quickly got the feeling that she was probably the leader in that three-man team.

"So . . ." started Kankuro as he took a step forward. "Should we make our presence known?"

"I think it's best if we keep quiet for now. What real reason would we have for disturbing them at this point?" Gaara and Kankuro didn’t answer, knowing there was some truth to her logic. "Besides, the longer that they remain unaware of our presence, the longer we can watch them and study their moves."

"Is that so?"

At the sudden voice, which was coming from somewhere above the siblings, the three turned their heads, weapons at the ready, to see a blonde-haired girl standing on a branch in one of the tallest trees. It didn't take them long to realize that the girl was the Fire Princess herself.

"Huh, well this is unexpected," mumbled Kankuro as he held his puppet out in front of him, still wrapped in its bandages. "I could have sworn that we saw you standing with the others in the field just seconds ago."

"Ah, the beauty of shadow clones, am I right?" the princess asked, her gaze unwavering as she looked at the three, as if she was searching for any noticeable weaknesses they may have. "Judging from the weapons you're carrying, it's safe to assume you’re the Wind King’s children."

"You would be correct, but may I be so bold to ask? How exactly have you heard so much about us?" asked Temari, her voice taking on a challenging edge.

"Being a part of a royal family does have its benefits, don't you think?" she replied, her tone calm. "Although, I'll admit. I was a little miffed that all the info that could be gathered on you three were bio stats. . . I'm sure you three experienced the same thing when you received info on my brother and me."

"You have no idea . . ." mumbled Temari as the four heard footsteps from somewhere behind them.

"Hey sis!" exclaimed the Fire Prince as he looked up at his sister, his voice as loud as his orange colored outfit as he led the group over to their position. "These three aren't giving you any trouble, are they?"

"On the contrary Naruto. Our fellow royals and I were just having a little chat, that's all," said the princess as she jumped down from her perch.

"Fellow royals?" A look of realization soon replaced the confusion once he finally got a good look at the Sand Siblings’ faces. "Oh yeah. Pa mentioned that we should look out for you three in the coming days."

"Despite only being here for about an hour now, you've already made quite a buzz around the village," mumbled the girl with shoulder length lavender hair as she pushed her black rimmed glasses up her nose. "Especially the prince with the ‘panda-like’ eyes."

**“Did she just say 'panda-like' eyes?”** Shukaku growled, his anger instantly getting Gaara's attention. It also had the side effect of sending a tremor of pain through the redhead's skull. **“For her information, it's _tanuki-like_ eyes. They're not panda-like, and I will kill any and all who continue to make that mistake!” **

" _Calm down you damn tanuki_ _! You're letting something as simple as an understandable misinterpretation get under your skin? Really? Do you know how sad it is for you, a centuries-old demon, to be so easily irritated by the smallest of things?"_ Gaara responded right back, his eyes not missing how the Fire Princess was staring at him from the corner of her eyes.

"I don't care about who's making everyone talk. Right now, all I care about is getting ready for the Showcase," mumbled the raven-haired boy as he walked away from the group. "Are you guys coming? Naruto? Sakura?"

"Coming Sasuke!" exclaimed the pinkette as she eagerly followed him. Naruto grumbled something under his breath before following after them, quickly doing a small wave at the rest of the group before disappearing into the trees.

"Sorry about Lord Uchiha. As you can see, he's not really the most _courteous_ person here in the village." mumbled the Fire Princess as she shook her head. The last name was definitely familiar to the siblings, considering it belonged to one of the strongest clans _in existence_. The fact that the Uchihas held one of the strongest dojutsu on the planet instantly made them a cause for concern for many shinobi, which meant that the siblings knew they had to tread carefully around Sasuke if they ever managed to fight him in the future.

"When is he ever courteous?" grumbled the scowling brunette. "Sasuke has been rocking the pompous attitude for as long as he's been wearing that ridiculous duck-butt hairstyle of his!"

"However, whether you like it or not, he does have the right idea," said the lavender-haired girl as she looked off into the distance. "We should be spending less time talking and more time training. Ishida-sensei won't be too happy with us if she finds out we haven’t been training like we said we would."

"Damn, same goes for our mentor," Kankuro managed to spit out before Temari could answer for the group. "I guess we'll just have to part ways for now."

"I guess you're right," said the Fire Princess as she started walking away, only to look over her shoulder seconds later. "Unless you three plan on following us to study our moves like you originally planned."

Despite her innocent tone, the Sand Siblings knew that the Fire Princess' voice carried the hint of a veiled threat, one that she wouldn't mind acting on as a sudden chill went down their backs. The three had been on guard from the get-go, but now they were enveloped by a sudden tenseness that almost made their legs quiver, even Gaara’s, who usually sees this kind of reaction from people as soon as they meet _him_.

**“Hm, this chill is definitely Ryuna's doing,”** Shukaku mumbled, his voice sounding agitated, yet impressed. **“Maybe my sister is more interconnected with her jinchuuriki than I originally thought. . . Better say something boy, but be careful with your words. If you say the wrong thing, you’ll definitely pay for it later.”**

" _Fine_ . . . Don't worry," Gaara finally said, deciding to take the tanuki's words to heart, this time around. "We’re simply here to train, not spy."

"That's all I wanted to hear," said the royal as she turned forward. "Let's go Haruka, Nanami!"

"Right!" the two girls chorused as the princess leapt onto a branch. As the three disappeared into the trees, the siblings were left to contemplate on what just happened and what they’ve witnessed so far.

There was a lot to take in.

"Okay, did either of you two feel a chill just move through your spine?" Kankuro asked as he pointed to his own back. "Because I felt it, and it didn't feel good. . . Not good at all."

"It's probably due to the influence her tailed beast has on her," Temari suggests as she continued to stare off in the direction the three girls went off to. “Besides that, we at least got to see what some of our upcoming competition looked like. We may not have been able to witness any of their jutsu, but judging from how they carry themselves, they may put up a good fight.”

**“Che, the girl’s last words; that definitely had Ryuna’s claw prints all over it. She's definitely sealed in the Fire Princess. I have no doubts about that.”**

" _Your sister definitely knows how to make a point.”_ Gaara mumbled, more to himself than to the tanuki inside him.

"Gaara, c’mon! Let's find somewhere else to train!" called Temari, who was already halfway into the field with Kankuro when she realized that their sand-manipulating brother was still at the field's periphery.

**“You have no idea flesh bag. Think of it as a common trait that all jinchuuriki happen to share. Ryuna just happens to be the best at it.”**

" _And just when I thought you were unique in that aspect,"_ the prince mumbled as he joined his siblings in the field. _"_ _Still, I'll have to be careful of the Fire Princess from now on. . . Now that I know who’s sealed inside who, we can’t take the twins lightly, especially her."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so, as you all have just read, I introduced Naruto and the rest of Team 7 in this chapter, well, sans Kakashi of course, as well as the Fire Princess and her crew. However, I never revealed the princess' name. Her name will be revealed in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	4. Round One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the first round of the Shinobi Showcase's preliminaries.

**_Day 1 of the Shinobi Showcase_ **

"Temari! You ready yet?!" Kankuro yelled as he, Gaara, and Baki patiently stood by the exit, the heir apparent still a no-show. "If we don't leave now, we're going to be late for sure. Don’t blame me if we end up missing something important okay?!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" called the blonde, finally walking out of her room as she tightened one of her pigtails. "Sheesh, can't a girl fix her pigtails in peace?"

"Not if she wants to be on time for the Showcase preliminaries that is. This wouldn’t have been an issue if you took care of your hair a little earlier. . . Now then, let’s go." Baki announced as he opened the door and walked out, the siblings immediately following suit like chicks following after the mama duck.

They quickly left their hotel and traversed Konoha's many streets, weaving through the busy thoroughfares until they arrived at the ninja academy. It was a long multi-level structure coated in white marble with a roof of red tiles. The main door was wide open, but most of the action was happening in the surrounding courtyard.

When the siblings walked onto the premises, they finally came face-to-face with their competition, and there was plenty of it to be seen. The courtyard was almost filled to the brim with teams from kingdoms scattered all across the land, and teams were still filing into the courtyard after them.

Many instantly took notice of the three Wind natives, and while most kept their faces neutral, some wore expressions that clued them in to what they were thinking. A number of them seemed wary, while others weren’t impressed.

The three didn’t mind proving them wrong.

"Alright, this is where we part ways," Baki announced as he turned to his charges. "Traditionally, all mentors and senseis wait out the preliminaries away from their respective teams until a certain point is reached. So, until that moment comes, consider yourselves on your own."

"If that’s the case, how many preliminary rounds should we expect to face then?" Temari asked, slightly amused. "Two? Three?"

"The number is not a standard thing Temari. It changes with each new edition of the Showcase. The participants usually don’t know until they are well into the competition . . . Anyway, if that is all, I will see you all later."

“Well this should be fun. We get to face off against a lot of competition in a series of preliminary rounds whose total amount is unknown to us.”

“Not only that Kankuro. What the rounds entail is not known to the competitors until they are actually competing in them, which means we don’t have the luxury of planning and strategizing for them hours before they happen. We just have to wait and adapt when needed.” Temari added, trying to be helpful, but her words only helped to darken her brother’s mood.

“That too, and this is the preliminaries we are talking about here . . . Great,” Kankuro grumbled as Baki took his leave. "Anyway, let’s size up the competition, I guess. Do you two see anyone around here that could prove to be a problem for us?"

"Besides Princess Shizuka and her team?" Temari asked, pointing toward the staircase. The Fire Princess, Haruka, and Nanami, were the only team on the stairs, sitting along one of the flat stone railings. It was the first time the siblings had seen them since their first encounter at the training grounds days ago.

**“Huh, so that’s the girl’s name. Shizuka, huh? Sounds strong.”** Shukaku mumbled, weirdly in a complimenting mood. **“The girl definitely looks quiet, yet perfectly calm and unfazed . . . It's almost unsettling. I’m impressed.”**

Gaara couldn't help but agree with the tanuki's assessment as he observed the blonde, who looked completely serene despite the commotion going on around her, and the fact that her teammates were arguing about something toward her immediate right.

He would have threatened them with a Sand Coffin if he was in her position.

"Well, yeah, besides them," said Kankuro as the three walked over to the shade of a nearby tree. "Is there anybody else - besides them - that you guys think could cause us some trouble today? I'm sure you two have seen someone around here that you're worried about."

“Well, there is a lot of competition to look at,” Temari mumbled. “A lot of them should be strong, considering that the Showcase is notorious for attracting teams with members from powerful ninja clans after all.”

“Including us . . .” Gaara added as he crossed his arms. “The fact that we’re royalty also has the drawback of putting a larger target on our backs compared to most.”

“That’s true, but at least we’re not the only ones in that boat,” Kankuro added. “The Fire Twins will be targeted as much as we will, if we think about things from a royal standpoint. Hell, they probably have the biggest target out of all of us because they do have the home soil advantage.”

“Fair point,” Temari conceded. “However, the last part you just mentioned could apply to every Fire Kingdom team competing here today.”

“That’s true . . .” the puppeteer conceded in return. “So, how long do you think they’ll make us wait?”

"ALL TEAMS! MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE STAIRCASE! ALL OF YOU! OVER HERE! NOW!"

"Does that answer your question Kankuro?”

The brunet scowled, but Temari simply smiled in return before following Gaara over to the crowd gathering at the base of the stairs. As everyone gathered at the base, a rather intimidating middle-aged man stood at the top. He was dressed in a gray, military uniform with a black trench coat over it, matching black boots, and a black bandanna tied around his head.

Despite his intimidating choice of apparel, his face was what really sold his menacing appearance. Two long scars stretched across his face, with one stopping just below his right eye, while the other curved along his face's left side and through his lip, stopping in the middle of his chin.

"Welcome to the Shinobi Showcase!" said the man, his voice deep, grating, and very far reaching, being clear as a whistle to those standing in the very back. "My name is Ibiki Morino. I'm the head of the Interrogation Corps, but today, you will know me as one of the main proctors assigned to oversee the Showcase . . . Many of you are here today for glory, honor, or whatever incentive your kingdom offered you before sending you here. However, only a certain number of you will actually make it to the final round, and this is where the preliminaries come in."

"Now then, I bet you all are wondering how many rounds you’ll be facing in these preliminaries,” Ibiki continued, guessing right on what was going through most of the crowd’s collective minds at the moment. "Well, might as well end the suspense now . . . You will only be facing two rounds, but many of you will be eliminated at the end of each one, I guarantee it. . . We can only allow a certain number of you into the finals, so if more teams pass the second round than expected, a special _third_ round of preliminaries will take place to cut the numbers down even more."

"But how many people are expected to make it to the finals though?" Kankuro mumbled as an annoyed look crossed his face.

"He was nice enough to give us the number of rounds we’re dealing with, but I guess asking for how many spots in the finals would be a bit too much, don’t you think?" Temari mumbled as she continued to look ahead.

**“I don't care about the number of people allowed in the finals,”** mumbled Shukaku. **“All I care about is spilling some blood before the competition is over.”**

" _Blood, blood, blood . . ."_ Gaara grumbled, shaking his head. _"_ _That all you can really think about right now . . . Damn shame.”_

**“Shut up! You make me sound like I’m addicted to it.”**

_“Well, aren’t you?”_

Shukaku didn’t bother to entertain that question with a response.

"Right now, you all will make your way into one of the classrooms here at the Academy. The choice of which classroom to go into is up to you, but your entire group must agree to it. Once there, the monitor assigned to your room will give you further details on today's first round," said Ibiki as he jutted his thumb to the building behind him. "It's time to move, and if I were you, I’d pick my classroom _wisely_."

The crowd moved to follow Ibiki into the Academy, walking past the main lobby and up a set of stairs to the second floor, where they were greeted by a hallway lined with jonin on either side, all of them dressed in the same uniform that Ibiki was wearing.

"Like I said before, pick your classroom wisely," said Ibiki as he stood beside the open door at the very far end of the hallway. "Now then, CHOOSE!"

"So, which room guys?" Kankuro quickly asked as some teams started entering random classrooms while others were still weighing their options. "Any ideas?"

"I suggest we go with the room that our biggest competition will be in," Temari advised as she looked around the hallway. "It's best to keep our eyes on our biggest threats at all times. If they make a mistake and show a weakness, then we'll certainly know about it."

"We’re only left with one option then." Gaara pronounced as he looked down the hallway. His eyes were on the doorway that Ibiki was standing next to, which happened to be the same one that Princess Shizuka and her team just went through. His elder siblings nodded in agreement and quickly followed him down the hall. When they entered the large classroom, they saw that most of the shinobi were natives of the Fire Kingdom, including Prince Naruto and his team.

"Damn, a lot of teams came in here," said Temari as she looked around to get a layout of the classroom. The lecture-style room was simply designed at best, with the tables being long enough to fit three people, organized into three separate columns. " . . . And a lot of them look like they could prove a challenge."

"I think using the phrase _'a lot'_ is a bit of a stretch sis," said Kankuro, resisting the urge to chuckle at one team that consisted of a girl looking at her reflection in the window, a boy snacking on a bag of chips, and a second boy who already looked half asleep, his hair tied up in a way that made his head look like a pineapple. "I don’t know about you guys, but some of these people look like they should be eliminated already."

"Appearances can be deceiving. You should never misjudge your enemy, or else you’ll get a kunai in your throat for all your troubles," said Ibiki, startling Kankuro so much that he almost jumped out of his sandals. "If you really are that simpleminded toward others, I suggest you leave right now little princeling."

Kankuro didn't bother to respond. The intense stare he received from Ibiki instantly made him tongue-tied, much to Gaara's annoyance and Temari's chagrin. Ignoring the silent prince, the head of the Interrogation Corps walked back over to the open door and immediately slammed it shut, instantly gaining everyone else's attention.

"I want everyone to take a seat, but do not sit next to either of your teammates. Separate yourselves from each other as best as you can," ordered Ibiki as he walked over to the teacher's podium. "You have thirty seconds. Your time starts now!"

Not wanting to agitate the proctor any further, everyone quickly got into a seat, with some holding back more than others to see where people were moving to. One of them happened to be Gaara, who stood back as everyone scrambled for a good seat. When the dust started to settle, he saw that Princess Shizuka was sitting in the back of the room at the last table of the middle column. She was sitting in the middle seat, with the chair to her left being already filled by a shinobi from the Rain Kingdom. The chair to her right was still empty.

And it was the chair that Gaara decided to take.

**“Bold move of you Gaara. Not many would choose to outright sit next to a royal, especially if they know that she’s a jinchuriki. Granted, you’re in the same boat, but still, it’s quite ballsy of you to do such a thing . . .** **This should be interesting.** **”**

" _Shut up you damn tanuki,"_ Gaara retorted, not in the mood for the beast’s amusement as he reached the table. He took off his gourd and placed it next to the table before sitting down. The Rain shinobi shot the prince a curious glance before turning away, but Shizuka never spared him a glance. _". . . And she doesn't even_ _bother to look my way."_

**“Maybe it's because you and your siblings tried to spy on her the other day.”**

" _Ok, fair point, but still, shut up."_ Gaara ordered as he noticed that Ibiki held a stack of papers in his hands.

The look on his face didn’t help matters either.

"This first round is simple. In fact, it’s probably the easiest round you will face in this entire competition," Ibiki calmly explained as he held the stack up like it was a hard-won trophy. "Simply put, you all will be taking a ten-question exam."

"What the fuck?!" "Is he serious?" "But I didn't know we had to study for a test!" were some of the answers that the man got in return. He brushed the comments aside as he began to pass the papers along. He kept them face down as he went from table to table, passing along pencils as well.

"You will have only one hour to complete it," Ibiki further added once he was done. “Any questions so far?”

"Um, excuse me, but is there a benchmark score we should strive for?" asked a pink haired girl from the front row. Gaara immediately recognized her as one of the girls from the training ground, the one who was a part of Prince Naruto’s team.

"A benchmark? Hmm, you know, I'll let you guys ponder that one," said Ibiki, his smirk inspiring a sense of dread among most in the room. "However, I will tell you this. If any of you decide to quit this exam - and many of you will before the hour is up - you'll not only take yourself out of this competition entirely, but you will also be taking out your teammates as well. If you decide to leave, the rest of the team must leave with you. . . Also, here’s another piece of advice, keep your eyes on your own paper. You got that?!"

**“Hmm, it seems that this first round does not leave much margin for error.”**

" _You're right._ _They are not making things easy for us,”_ Gaara added as he looked down at the paper before him. _“If you quit, not only do you take yourself out of the competition, but your entire team as well. If they wanted to increase the pressure, this stipulation certainly covers it.”_

"Now then, you have your instructions. You can now turn your papers over and begin your exam. You have one hour!"

Everyone turned their sheets over and instantly, shock and dread were obvious on the shinobi's faces as they started reading over the questions. Despite the fact that only nine questions were on each sheet, the level of difficulty in each question was much higher than originally expected, especially since most of the field were officially ranked as genin, aka rookies.

All of the royals in the room were included in this category.

" _They expect us to know the answers to_ _these damn things?"_ Gaara grumbled as he looked over the sheet. He looked around to see what his siblings’ reactions would be, which was difficult since he was seated in the last row. His brother was shaking his head, as if the sheet offended him just for even existing. Considering the room’s overall reaction to the test, he couldn’t blame him.

As for Temari, she looked completely calm from her seat in the front corner of the room. She always did consider herself the most book smart of the three. For her, this could be a relative cakewalk for her.

**“I can feel the pressure building in the room. They're definitely not making things easy for you little squirts, and I like it! If you want your spot in the finals, you’re gonna have to really work for it, your princely status be damned!”**

" _Speaking of the pressure, it looks like the round has just claimed its first victims."_ said Gaara as two teams exited the room. He didn't linger on them long once movement on his left gained his attention. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Princess Shizuka was already halfway finished with her test, writing down her answers in her crisp, neat handwriting. _". . . Okay, didn_ _’t expect that, but it is impressive."_

**“This girl already has that much of the test completed, despite the level of difficulty. Hm, she must have studied under some really good tutors to accomplish this much already. . . Too bad you can't really cheat off her. With you two sitting next to each other and all, you would be accused of cheating right off the bat.** _”_

" _Cheating . . . Wait a minute . ._ _. I think you just gave me a good idea Shukaku."_

The redhead tuned the tanuki out before he could even ask what he meant. Bringing a hand to his forehead, his middle and forefinger touched the skin right above his right eye, obscuring it from view. His action would seem normal to most, but in truth, he was discreetly molding his chakra-infused sand together until it became a replica of a human eye.

_"I should have known that this test wasn't going to be as straightforward as it sounded._ _They gave us these hard questions for a reason. The organizers know that most of us will find them difficult if we had to answer them on our own."_

**“Wait a minute. Are you saying that the organizers WANT you to cheat?”** Shukaku asked. **“Hold up . . . Oh, I see. They're not testing you squirts to see how much knowledge you have in your pea-brained skulls. They gave you this test to see how well you can cheat without getting caught.”**

_“Exactly! Instead of testing us on our intellect, they’re testing us on one of the core skills all shinobi must have, gathering information.”_

**“And I see your way of cheating will be the Third Eye technique . . . Probably your only option at this point.”**

Gaara quickly sent said eye up to the ceiling without anyone noticing, placing it behind one of the light fixtures right above him. The angle allowed him a good view of the rest of the room, allowing him to see who was worth cheating off of and who to not bother with. He paid particular attention to his sister and the pink-haired girl, both already done with most of their respective tests. He quickly wrote down the answers he saw - going slow enough that the proctor wouldn’t think that something was up, but fast enough to be considered a reasonable pace - and set the test aside before dissolving his technique, finishing everything within 20 minutes.

**“Hmm, that wasn't so bad, but there's still an issue with the tenth question,”** said Shukaku as another team left the room. **“Mainly, WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS THE TENTH QUESTION?!”**

" _We'll find out soon enough."_ Gaara calmly answered as he looked around the room, noticing that Shizuka was now finished with her test. So was Temari, the pink-haired girl, and a few others, including the boy whose spiky, dark ponytail reminded him of a pineapple. Others were still writing, with some, like Sasuke and Kankuro, calmly answering questions while others - most shockingly _Naruto_ \- were visibly struggling.

**“Hmm, should have figured that some people would finish faster than others. The faster ones are probably the best when it comes to gathering intel. The slower ones, not so much . . .”**

" _I_ _actually have to agree with you on that one,"_ Gaara mumbled as more shinobi finished their tests. _"Bu_ _t back to the tenth question though . . .  What could it possibly be?"_

**“Don’t worry, little redhead. I believe we're about to find out.”**

The sound of the new voice instantly made said redhead eyes shoot open, never expecting the response. Instead of hearing Shukaku’s grating, slightly hysteric voice, the new one was calmer, feminine, and ancient, as if the voice belonged to someone - or _something_ \- wise beyond its years. It was completely unfamiliar to Gaara, but it seemed that Shukaku recognized it easily enough, because he was over his shock much faster than his host.

**“RYUNA!!!”** Shukaku growled in disbelief, his voice reverberating through Gaara's skull so much that it made the redhead clutch his forehead, as if he suddenly gained a migraine.

" _Ryuna?"_ Gaara asked, his voice laden with shock and disbelief, his mental ears open to see if the Ten Tails would speak again. Alas, he got no answer. The beast remained silent, as if she had never spoken in his head to begin with. _"Was that really the Ten Tails speaking to_ _me just now?"_

**“It was, but she's not bothering to answer back. She was probably checking to see if the link between me and her was still working or something. . . Nice to see that it is.”** Shukaku mumbled, no longer sounding surprised by his sibling’s apparent intrusion.

Actually, he sounded quite used to it.

"I see . . ." Gaara whispered as he noticed that Shizuka had a tiny smirk on her face from the corner of his eye, as if she was in on the little intrusion.

Judging from the smirk, she probably was.

"Alright then. There are 15 minutes left, and it seems that all of you appear to be finished with the questions that have already been given to you . . . Well, most of you," said Ibiki, his voice cutting through the silence. "Anyway, it's time for the tenth question, well, if you choose to accept it anyway."

"Wait a minute. _If we choose to accept it?_ " asked a boy dressed in what Gaara would describe as the most ridiculous outfit that he has ever seen a shinobi wear. Despite looking _different_ , the clothes were simple at best: a green bodysuit, orange leg warmers, and bandages wrapped from mid-hand to the elbows. "What do you mean by that?"

"Before I tell you what the last question is, I will give you all a choice," said Ibiki. "If you choose to take on this question - which is the hardest of the bunch - and fail to answer it correctly, you and your team must leave, now banned from participating in any further Showcases from this day until your deaths.”

Ibiki took that moment to pause, letting the shinobi before him absorb this bombshell. Once he saw that he thoroughly terrified a few souls, he continued.

“However, if you choose to leave now, you will remain eligible for future Showcases, but you will be eliminated from this one . . . Choose wisely. I'll give you all a minute to decide your fate."

**“They really are not making things easy for you brats. I like their style** _,_ **”** Shukaku mumbled as a sizable amount of the remaining shinobi decided to call it a day. With their departure, less than half of the total shinobi that came into the room in the beginning remained. **“It's amazing to see so many lose their composure as soon as they hear something detrimental. . . Fucking hell, I saw at least three people cry as they walked out the door! How weak can they could be!?”**

"Really? This many are willing to stay?" Ibiki asked as he looked around the room, his voice sounding unimpressed. "I don't believe it. I'm sure some of you are still thinking about leaving. Hell, some of you look like you _want_ to leave. I won't judge you if you decide to go now, but time is precious, and you’re wasting it at this point . . ."

Despite the complaint, those remaining in the room stayed seated. Some looked unfazed by the proctor’s ‘insistence’, while others looked like they just didn’t care.

"Hmm, what about you Naruto?" Ibiki asked, his eyes going straight to the Crown Prince sitting in the middle of the room. Gaara turned his head to see that Shizuka now looked mildly interested in this sudden turn of events; her eyes trained on him like a hawk. "Are you thinking about leaving Prince? I know as the heir to your father's throne, you have a lot of pressure on you to do well, but I'm sure he'll be okay with finding out that you decided to leave early."

"Not a chance!" the blonde exclaimed, unabashedly shaking his head. "Nice try Proctor Morino, but I'm not quitting this competition that easy! You're going to have to try something better than that if you really want to see me leave."

"Hm, should have known he would react like that," Shizuka mumbled, leaning back in her chair. "He hates it whenever someone suggests he quit something."

"Is he really that stubborn?" Gaara asked, going out on a limb to ask the question. He hadn’t been planned to speak with her, but since he was sitting right next to her, he figured why not.

"You have no idea. Quitting is just not in his vocabulary," Shizuka answered. "Just like how sleep isn't a part of yours I'm guessing."

**“Ooh, she got you there flesh bag!”**

" _No thanks to you, you damn tanuki!"_ Gaara answered right back, but Shukaku ignored him, still too busy chuckling over the dig the princess hit his host with. And speaking of the Fire Princess . . .  "And let me guess, friendliness isn't really a part of yours?"

"To be honest, not really. My _background_ really hasn't helped me in the 'friends' department, for more reasons than one might I add." said the blonde, her voice solemn as she gave her stomach a quick glance

" _You and me both."_ Gaara thought, looking down at his own stomach, home to the seal that kept Shukaku at bay. The tanuki snorted at that remark, but before the redhead could say something back, the proctor’s voice stopped him short.

"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ALL PASSED THE FIRST ROUND!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I figured it would be nice to put in some Gaara-Shizuka interaction toward the end. As for Ryuna speaking in Gaara's head, there may be more of that and vice versa in the coming future. . . Well, maybe. 
> 
> Anyway, leave a comment if you like.


	5. The Forest of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sand Siblings jump in to the second round of the preliminaries, meeting some competition along the way.

"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ALL PASSED THE FIRST ROUND!"

**_“WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FLYING FUCK?!”_ **

Shukaku's sudden - and very _abrasive_ \- exclamation echoed throughout Gaara's skull, taking the young prince completely off guard. The pain of it all actually made the redhead visibly flinch, but no one picked up on it, much to his relief.

The tanuki's sentiment was shared with pretty much everyone else remaining in the room, sans Ibiki, who looked quite smug about his latest reveal. While some were stunned into silence, others tried to form sentences, too shocked to come up with any proper wording to address the proctor with.

"It seems that what I just said has gone over some of your heads, so I'll say it again, just for your collective sakes,” Ibiki calmly stated as he leaned against the teacher’s podium. “Congratulations! You all passed the first preliminary round. You all are one step closer to the finals. . . Give yourselves a pat on the back."

“Wait a second! How the hell did we all pass?!” The question came from the blonde girl in purple. Despite her hair hiding practically half her face, it wasn’t hard to see the disturbed look on her face. 

"Well, the Showcase isn't just an event for people to watch and make monetary bets on,” Ibiki started as he looked around the room. “It's also an event that tests your skills as shinobi. For example, this first test was designed to test not only your critical thinking skills, but also your ability to collect information."

"So, basically you were testing us to see how smart we are and how well we could cheat off each other." Sasuke clarified as he leaned back in his seat, which was three tables away from where Gaara and Shizuka were seated.

"More or less,” Ibiki admitted. “There was one more thing that you all were tested on, and that was how willing you were to continue on despite the unknown that laid before you . . . Because you all decided to remain in this room - despite not knowing what the tenth question was, whether or not you would get it right, and the consequences for if you got the question wrong - you chose to go with the unknown instead of the certain path, the guaranteed way out. . . That itself was the tenth question, and you all passed with flying colors."

**“I've said it before, and I'll say it again. They are not making it easy for you brats!”** Shukaku mumbled, but Gaara only paid half attention to him as a brownish figure suddenly crashed through the window that was closest to the front, startling most of the room as glass flew everywhere.

A few tense seconds ticked by before the figure stood up from its crouch. It turned out to be a woman in an open brown trench coat, her ninja outfit leaving little to the imagination. A serpentine smile stretched across her pale face as her eyes scanned the room, the intensity of her gaze starting to rattle some of the remaining competition.

"Anko, what have I told you about bursting through windows to make an entrance?" Ibiki chided as a scowl appeared on his face. “You’re a ninja. Act like it!”

"Oh Ibiki, you know simply walking through doorways isn't my cup of tea," said the woman as she plucked a piece of glass from off her sleeve. "I like to make my entrances more _entertaining_ , if you will."

"More entertaining?! Frightening is more like it?" Ibiki mumbled, clearly not impressed with her antics. Anko simply answered him with another grin, but it only earned her a roll of her eyes from the older man. "Why do I even bother . . . I'll leave the group to you from this point on."

"Good, and don't worry! I'll take good care of these guys Ibiki." Anko promised, her grin sugary sweet, yet hinting at the malice she likely had planned for them.

"It's not them that I'm worried about. . ." He mumbled; his tone too low for anyone to hear properly as he closed the door behind him with a sharp slam.

"So, now that he’s gone, I suggest you all forget about what just happened here in this room and start focusing on how you're going to get through the next round, because it starts right now!" Anko announced with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. "My name is Anko Mitarashi, and I'm the head proctor for the second preliminary round. Nice to make your acquaintance everyone!"

**“Hmpfh, didn't strike me as the _proctoring_ type . . .”** Shukaku mumbled, which was a statement Gaara couldn't help but agree with.

"Okay, I’ll admit it. I don’t look like the _proctoring_ type. Hell, I don’t even look like I should be around children at all. I’m only here because my area of expertise makes me a prime candidate to oversee this upcoming round. . . I hope you all have brushed up on your survival skills!" she teased, though her eyes were very serious. “Follow me! It's time that I showed you all your next battleground."

" _Survival skills huh?"_ Gaara thought as he stood from his seat. _"Wherever she's leading us to must be a dangerous place."_

**“That's fine by me!”** Shukaku exclaimed, his voice verging on erratic. **“Danger means the potential for blood after all! We may finally get to kill something in this damn competition, maybe even one of your fellow competitors if we're that lucky.”**

" _Why am I not surprised you said that . . ."_ Gaara thought as he put his gourd back on. _"_ _Blood spilling is the only thing that makes you really happy these days after all."_

**“What else do you expect from me?! I can barely do anything while I’m sealed in here, and my main form of entertainment is what I see through your eyes . . .”**

_“So, let me guess. If there’s no blood involved, you just get bored to tears? Without it, you’re just not interested, is that it?”_

**“More or less. It does bring some color into my dreary life . . .”** Shukaku mumbled, his tone a little airy due to the reminiscing. Gaara was not impressed, and the tanuki could feel his displeasure. **“Oh, don’t be like that Gaara. This is just how I am . . . Besides, if this next test is what I think it is, you may have the chance to take out some of your tougher competition in one sandy swoop, like the Uchiha kid, or maybe even the Fire Prince, or his sister if you wanted to take a shot at her.”**

" _Did you just suggest the idea of me taking on the Fire Princess?"_ Gaara couldn't help but ask as he snuck a look at the blonde walking just ahead of him. _"Granted, you do make a fair point, but seriously_ _? You want me to attack the girl that has your most powerful relative sealed inside her? That’s poking the proverbial bear right there you know."_

**“It was only a suggestion . . .”** Shukaku was quick to correct. **“Anyway, like I said, you have many options to choose from, even some of the small fry still in this thing, though they won't be as satisfying as those with the larger chakra reserves.”**

" _You always did prefer the blood of powerful shinobi."_

**“Aw, you get me!”**

"That was probably the most ridiculous test that I've ever had to do!" Kankuro grumbled as all three siblings reunited in the hallway. "If it weren't for my puppets, I would have been fucked!"

"At least we know who we would blame if we suddenly found ourselves booted from the room," Temari not-so-quietly mumbled, her comment earning her the puppeteer's ire. "Oh, come on Kankuro! We all know you were struggling. . ! Anyway, the field has been cut down quite a bit from the look of this hallway alone. There's still quite a lot of teams still in this thing though."

"Let’s hope the second round does a better job than the first. The less people in the showcase, the easier it'll be to win it all," said Kankuro. "Any idea on what this 'survival' themed second round gonna be about?"

"Four words: The Forest of Death."

**“I like the sound of that!”**

_“Of course, you would . . .”_ Gaara thought as he looked at his sister. “The Forest of the Death Temari?”

"Since this is supposed to be a _survival_ themed challenge we’re facing, then Konoha's Forest of Death is the most likely place Proctor Mitarashi is leading us to," the blonde explained. "It's a gated off area located on the outskirts of the village. . . It has gained some well-deserved notoriety for being one of the deadliest places in all the kingdoms. It’s so dangerous that people have to sign waiver forms releasing the Fire Kingdom from any liability in their potential deaths or injuries before going inside. . . If the organizers really don't want that many people moving on to the finals, then the Forest of Death is the best place to use."

Kankuro opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it right back, slightly unsure at what awaited them. Gaara took what Temari said and filed it to the back of his mind, not wanting to fret on it too long.

Then again, he wasn't one for fretting regardless.

It didn't take long for the remaining competitors to arrive at their somewhat desired destination. After jumping from rooftop to rooftop throughout the village, the remaining competitors arrived to see a large crosswire gate separating themselves from a large, thickly dense forest. Entry points were scattered along the gate at 50 feet intervals, and in between two of the entrances was a booth manned by two Konoha jonin.

"Alright, gather round small fry! I'm only going to say this once! I don't plan on repeating myself, so keep your ears peeled!" Anko ordered as she stood in front of the booth. "Behind this gate here is the Forest of Death, the location for the second round of these preliminaries!"

"Now then, your objective for this challenge revolves around these bad boys," Anko announced as she took out two matching scrolls from her coat pocket. One was marked with the kanji for ‘Earth’ while the other was marked with the kanji for ‘Heaven’. "These are the Heaven and Earth scrolls, and each team will get one of them from the booth right behind me . . . You will have to get the other scroll you need by stealing it from another team while inside the Forest of Death."

"Now, just because you claim both scrolls doesn't mean the challenge is over for you. You have to bring the scrolls to the tower located in the center of the forest, within five days’ time, in order to pass the challenge. . . There is no extension. Five days is all you have."

"Huh, all we have to do is steal the opposite scroll to the one we'll have and bring it to a tower within the next 120 hours," Kankuro summarized, his face contemplative. "That doesn't sound too hard. . ."

"You’re forgetting about the part where we’ll have to navigate a deadly forest with unknown creatures and dangers in its midst in order to get to said tower Kankuro," Temari chastised, not looking impressed by her brother’s simple thinking. "Anything can happen in there. Quicksand, poisonous animals, ambushes . . . Who knows? We may run into something that not even Gaara could handle. Now imagine that!"

**“How dare she say that!? As if there was something actually in there that my sand couldn't beat! You got to be fucking kidding me!”**

" _One word: Water"_

**“Oh, shut up! You’re not helping with your brand of negativity!”**

_“Was I supposed to?”_

"Now then, there are some rules that you must follow if you're going to get through this challenge successfully," Anko added as she stuffed the scrolls back into her coat. "Firstly, if you lose the scroll you start with, you are not immediately disqualified. . . You just have to work that much harder to claim two scrolls instead of one. If you try to bring two scrolls of the same type to the tower - for example, two Heaven scrolls - you won't be allowed entry into the tower unless you have one of each type. No exceptions!"

"Secondly, you must not open your scrolls until you enter the tower! If you open them too early, well, I think I'll just keep that a secret for now. . . How you claim a scroll from another team is up to you. If you have to kill your fellow competition in order to get what you want, then so be it. This is why we make you sign waivers before entering here after all. Do you have any questions?" Anko asked as she looked around at the ninjas that stood in front of her.

No one uttered a single word.

"Good. Now then, get with your teams and head for the booth. Once you got your scroll and you have signed your waivers, make your way to one of the entrances. Only one team per entrance is allowed . . . The second round will start in 20 minutes, so get to it!"

When the line eventually formed, the Sand Siblings ended up behind one of the teams from the Grass Kingdom near the front. When it was finally their turn at the booth, they each signed off on a liability waiver before claiming an Earth scroll and making their way over to one of the entrances on the right.

"Okay, so how are we gonna do this?" Kankuro was quick to ask as he leaned against the gate. "We have an Earth scroll, which means we'll have to get a Heaven scroll to complete the set. How exactly are we going to procure it?"

"We could head for the tower first and then ambush any incoming teams that follow behind us, but other groups may have the same idea," Temari grumbled as she looked out at the dense forest that awaited them. "We'd be wasting time and chakra fighting them off . . . I’d say we travel until we run into another team and ambush them. If they have the scroll we need, we take it and go; no point in wasting time after all!"

"And if they try to fight back after we take their scroll?" Gaara asked, knowing very well that the tanuki in his head would bug him about it until he finally asked.

"Well, they did sign the waivers after all. If they want to risk their lives against us, then let them. I don’t think you need me to explain what comes next . . ." the blonde mumbled as she continued looking forward.

Gaara simply nodded his head at that, but Shukaku was very much thrilled.

**“The point of this round is to dwindle the numbers even further. We would honestly be doing them a favor!”**

Gaara chose to ignore the tanuki, tuning the tailed beast out as the door finally swung open. The three siblings cleared it, jumping onto the branch of the nearest tree before propelling themselves forward.

Aside from the sound of their sandals hitting the branches, the three traveled in relative silence. Considering that they were surrounded by competition left and right, drawing any unwanted attention was definitely not the best move at the moment.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for one of them to break the silence.

"Anyone else getting a little unsettled by this place?" Kankuro mumbled as his eyes scanned the trees around them. "I know it's called the ‘Forest of Death’ for a reason and everything, but still . . . This place is just giving me the creeps!"

"I know," Temari mumbled, shaking her head in mild agreement. "It's as if this place is alive somehow, like it's watching us . . . You know what? Let's try to not focus on how creepy this forest is okay? We have bigger things to worry about anyway."

**“Sheesh! Are your siblings really that freaked out over a bunch of bushes and shrubs? What's so damn fucking scary about plant life?!”**

" _I_ _t depends on the plant life, actually,"_ Gaara grumbled as he jumped over a branch. _"Just_ _calm down Shukaku. I know you’re eager to kill something, but sometimes you just don't get what you want in life."_

**“Like how you want to be with your mother but can't because she's dead. . ? I guess you're right on that one.”**

" _Ouch, that_ _was a cold-blooded move and you know it Shukaku. . .”_ the redhead grumbled as he brought a hand to his chest, his heart echoing the familiar ache he felt whenever his deceased mother was brought up. He knew his mother passed on after bringing him into the world, but it still hurt to think about her, nonetheless.

**“Brat, have you met me?”** Shukaku asked, his voice laced with all the sarcasm in the world. **“I’m the very definition of cold-blooded . . . Now look alive! We got company.”**

" _Oh great . . ."_ Gaara grumbled as he and his siblings jumped down into a small open plain. The rustling of a nearby bush grabbed the three's attention, their eyes going straight over to a set of nearby bushes.

They parted, revealing a second team emerging from their depths, their forehead protectors depicting the four straight lines that symbolized the Rain Kingdom. Gaara was quick to remember that the shortest of the three sat at his and Shizuka's table back during the first round.

"Well well well . . . Looks like we’ve run into some royalty boys!" said the tallest of the trio, most likely the team's leader. "I knew we would end up running into teams along the way to the tower, but I didn't think the royal children of the Wind Kingdom would be the first ones we’d see. . . I don’t know about the rest of my team, but I’m honored."

"Save the chit chat will ya? We're not here to talk." Temari announced as she took a step forward.

"Right you are Princess. . .” said the Rain nin as he flexed his fingers. “How about this? Hand over your scroll, and we'll let you live."

"As if we'll give our scroll to you three," Kankuro couldn't help but say, his eyes looking ready for a fight. "You're better off giving your scroll to us! If you do, we _may_ guarantee you that your deaths will be painless."

"Well aren't you a joker . . . You're definitely dressed the part."

"What was that?!" the puppeteer growled. He always took offense when anyone said anything negative about the traditional garb he always wore. "Care to repeat that?"

"I'm sure you heard me loud and clear. Now give us your scroll or else we'll send you back to your kingdom in body bags!" said the Rain ninja as he reached to grab hold of one of the umbrellas he had strapped to his back.

"Yep; he just signed his death wish!" Kankuro grumbled, stopping himself short when he noticed his red-headed brother walking forward. "Gaara?"

"Enough talk!” The young prince proclaimed; his pale eyes locked on the Rain team's leader. "The more we keep this up, the more time we waste. This team decided to confront us, so a confrontation is what they'll get . . . If this Rain ninja wants to die, then why should we deny him his opportunity? We settle this; now!"

"Uh Shigure, do you really think this is a good idea?" asked one of the other Rain nin, his eyes showing his fear as risked a glance Gaara’s way.

"Yeah, maybe we should go?" Added the other ninja, almost stumbling over his words. "It's probably not the best idea to go against this team, especially the redhead. There's just something off about the red-, this situation."

**“He's probably talking about me, and we both know that Rain ninja meant you when he said that something was off!”** Shukaku teased, Gaara resisting the urge to roll his eyes in response. **“So, what do you plan to do about it flesh bag?”**

"Shut it, Baiu, Midare! If the redhead wants to talk smack, then he better be able to back his words! I'm not backing down from this fight!" exclaimed Shigure. He angrily took off one of the umbrellas from his back and threw it high in the air, clasping his hands together. "SENBON SHOWER!"

_"To answer your earlier question Shukaku, I'm going to finally grant you your long-awaited wish."_

A multitude of senbon needles erupted from the airborne umbrella, raining down onto the battlefield. They were all directed at the young redhead, making him disappear in a cloud of dust and needles. Shigure smirked as he watched his weapons hit their target dead on, but he refrained from showing a grin when he noticed the relaxed expressions on the siblings’ faces. He watched with slight trepidation as the dust started to settle, a look of shock appearing once he saw that Gaara was still standing.

"Was that the best you could do?" Gaara asked, his arms crossed over his chest as his pale green eyes stared Shigure down. His opponent could only look on in horror, his mind trying to determine which was more shocking: the fact that the redhead was completely unharmed, or the fact that he was being surrounded by a barrier of sand. "Well?"

"How?" asked Shigure, his voice more agitated than fearful. "How is this even possible?"

**“It should be obvious,”** Shukaku grumbled. **“The answer is pretty much staring him in the face.”**

"Gaara's sand instantly responds to whatever threat comes his way. No matter what, you’re not getting past his defenses." Kankuro calmly explained, since Gaara made no move to give an answer himself.

"His sand _PROTECTS_ him!? Like it has a mind of its own?!" Shigure growled, suddenly rushing forward. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"

**“Oh great. Another nonbeliever . . . Gaara, do me a favor and just kill this guy already.”**

" _I'm not doing this as a favor to you Shukaku,"_ the redhead thought, stretching his hand toward his incoming enemy. The sand followed, grabbing the ninja by the ankle and wrapping itself all around his body, leaving only his scarred face bare. _"I'm simply doing this because I don_ _’t want to waste any more time."_

"If you hadn't bothered to approach us, you may have escaped this day with your life."

Gaara’s voice was void of any emotion as he caught the falling umbrella with his other hand. Raising his arm, the sand covering Shigure followed, lifting him up till he was a good fifty feet up in the air.

Gaara didn't bother to give Shigure time to plead for his life.

"SAND COFFIN!"

The sand covered the Rain ninja’s face, muffling his panicked screams as the grains began to compress down onto his body. The sound of bones breaking echoed across the area as blood shot out from the sand, going in all different directions. Some of it landed on Shigure's horrified teammates, both stock still as they watched as Shigure got the life crushed out of him.

Gaara managed to protect himself from the blood splatter using Shigure's discarded umbrella while Kankuro and Temari had moved back just enough to not be caught in the blood shower.

"HERE!" Baiu practically screeched as he took out his team's scroll from his pouch. He set it down on the ground before moving a couple of feet back, making sure that the siblings could see the kanji for heaven printed on the front. "Here, you can take our scroll! Just please, let us go!"

"Hmm, I don't think so." Gaara’s tone was acerbic, his statement earning shocked glances from everyone in the vicinity. It didn't take long for his sand to follow his whims, enveloping the other two Rain nin in its grainy depths before crushing the life right out of them as well.

And just like Shigure, there was barely any trace of them.

"Gaara, why the hell did you do that?!" Temari exclaimed as she stared her brother down in complete disbelief. "Was that even necessary?!"

"You may think it’s unnecessary, but I think it was a great way of killing two birds with one stone," Gaara calmly stated as he dropped the umbrella. "Not only did my actions cut down some of the competition, but it also served as a message to those that are still in the running."

Temari looked at her brother with confused eyes, but the sound of leaves rustling brought her attention to the bushes on their right. She turned just in time to see three Leaf shinobi speeding away from the plain, disappearing into the trees. It was safe to say that those three didn't want anything to do with the royal siblings, with good reason.

"After seeing that, I guess you make a good point," Temari reluctantly conceded as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It may have been beneficial to us, but still, it was a tad bit cruel."

"You may not like it sis, but you gotta admit. Gaara's logic is pretty sound. . . With the literal, and I mean _literal_ , elimination of those Rain nin, that’s three less people to worry about. And as for sending a message, if that shinobi team running away was any indication, I think the message will be well received," said Kankuro as he picked up the Heaven scroll. "Well, we got the scroll we needed, so let’s get moving . . . The faster we head out, the faster we can get out of this damn forest!"

“Agreed . . .” Temari mumbled as the puppeteer quickly stuffed the Heaven scroll into his pouch. With Gaara now in the lead, the three were back to jumping through the trees, now making a beeline for the tower.

" _Are you satisfied now; you damn tanuki? I gave you what you wanted. A few deaths should soothe your spirit for a while."_

**“It's good for now, but it would have been even better if you had killed the Leaf shinobi instead of letting them leave unharmed.”**

" _Wow, not only are you greedy, but you seriously like to whine a lot Shukaku. . . It's very annoying, and very unfitting for a creature such as yourself."_

**“Oh, shut up you damn flesh bag! I don't need your criticism!”**

" _And now you know how I feel living with you inside me for all these years. . . Stings doesn_ _’t it?"_

**“SHUT UP!”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Leave a comment if you like!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: A few things . . .
> 
> 1\. Gaara has a relationship with Shukaku where they're at least on speaking terms with each other. This will be the same, more or less, for all tailed beasts and jinchuriki that'll be introduced in this story.
> 
> 2\. I'll be honest; I'm not really a fan of the Ten Tails' design in the canon storyline, so I'm changing its look in this story, which will be further explained as the story goes on. And the Ten Tails will be much more relevant here as well.
> 
> 3\. The canon Ten Tails was never really given a proper name in the storyline from what I remember. Like, we know the Nine Tails name is Kurama and the One Tails is Shukaku, but it's not clear to me what the Ten Tails’ name actually is. So for my story, the Ten Tails will be known as Ryuna. Yes, she’ll be a girl. So many of the beasts are men that I figured it was best just to make Ryuna a girl on this one.
> 
> I hope you all liked this first chapter! Thanks for reading!


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